Directory

OCCA strengthens the arts by ensuring that the Oregon coast has a rich and vibrant arts community through support and promotion of arts organizations and individual artists.

This directory represents the coastal areas of Oregon, which include Clatsop, Tillamook, Lincoln, Coos, and Curry counties and the coastal towns of Lane and Douglas counties. OCCA is the regional arts council for this area. Learn more about OCCA's regional arts activities.

Hope Nolen Sessums

Oregon Institute of Marine Biology Boathouse, Charleston

University of Oregon has been teaching and conducting research in marine biology on the southern Oregon coast since 1924, when summer classes traveled to nearby Sunset Bay and used tents for dormitories and laboratories. In 1928-29, a portion of the Coos Head Military Reservation was selected as the permanent site for the University’s marine program and in 1931 over 100 acres of the Reservation, including some Army Corps of Engineers buildings, was deeded to University of Oregon.

South Slough Interpretive Center

The mission of South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve is to improve the understanding and stewardship of Pacific Northwest estuaries and coastal watersheds. The 4,800 acre Reserve, located near Charleston, Oregon, encompasses a mixture of open water channels, tidal and freshwater wetlands, riparian areas, and forested uplands.

South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve

We welcome you to explore the estuary through our interpretive center, trails and waterways, programs, and online resources. On this page, links in the Activities section details on opportunities for visitors to the reserve while the In Depth section contains information related to administration, reserve management, and ecology.